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Spinning

Spinning

Date: Dec 10 2007

Themes: Music, Work

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

How hard can spinning records be? You play music for yourself at home all the time, right?

It seems easy to be a DJ until you’ve got a room full of people listening to the music you select. Club DJs have to choose songs that people in the club will like and play them in an order that makes sense. It’s easier said than done, because one mistake and the whole dance floor can be empty.

DJ stands for disc jockey, which is anyone who plays pre-made music for an audience. There are lots of different kinds of DJs. People who play prerecorded songs on the radio are called DJs. The guy scratching and making the beat behind your favorite rapper? He’s a DJ too.

Listen to Devan and Amanda talk about how they both had ambitions of becoming DJs when they were younger.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amanda

Amanda

Devan

Devan

Amanda:  So, when I was a little girl, I wanted to be a DJ when I grew up.

Devan:  Oh really?

Amanda:  Yeah. Was that even on your radar when you were a child?

Devan:  Not when I was a child. When I got into high school I bought a pair of turn tables for 50 bucks.

Amanda:  I love it. Do you still have those?

Devan:  Oh yeah. I still have ‘em. And then I bought a handful of records and made one tape. That was it. That’s as far as I ever got.

Amanda:  What did you want to do with it? Like when you made that tape did you wanna like get it out there or give it to friends?

Devan:  I used to play it at my work, and it was really bad. The sound would go out every few times because I didn’t understand how to turn the controllers. It was really bad.

Amanda:  Well it’s kind of weird. It’s like, releasing your tape or getting out to people, it’s something you’re kind of self-conscious about because only you got what went into it and if someone doesn’t really understand what you’re trying to do it’s…I’m not sure I could take critique for it. It would be so hard. But, um, I think it’s really cool that nowadays it’s not so strange for a woman to be a top-skilled DJ.

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Children often dream of what job they’ll have when they grow up. Usually they dream of being a doctor or a soldier or an astronaut. It’s very unusual for a young child to dream about becoming a DJ, but when Amanda was little she used to do just that.

Becoming a DJ didn’t occur to Devan until she was in high school. She bought the necessary equipment and began learning how to DJ. She made a tape that she played at the place she worked. It wasn’t very good because she didn’t know how to use the equipment very well yet.

Amanda admires Devan for showing her tape to other people. She says it’s hard to show other people something you’ve made because they will often be critical of it. She adds that she thinks it’s cool that more and more women are becoming DJs because historically DJs have typically been men.

Have you ever chosen the music for a group of people? How did it go? Do you like to go to places where there’s a DJ or do you prefer live music?

 

Comments

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La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

hmm, of course I prefer live music :) ...

04:36 AM Aug 12 2012 |

vicmay_lo-flo@live.com.mx

Mexico

if I had the fortune to choose songs for people to hear them! But I ride regularly now. if I visit, places with music of my choice, especially electronic music.

06:36 PM Jun 21 2012 |

vicmay_lo-flo@live.com.mx

Mexico

Laughing

04:17 PM Jun 14 2012 |

荆婷婷

China

i also love englishmusic i

09:58 AM Mar 26 2012 |

荆婷婷

China

i also love englishmusic

09:58 AM Mar 26 2012 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

 is difficult to have been a good DJCool

05:30 PM Dec 29 2008 |

michea.bruno

Russian Federation

hi!!!!  how are you and your family ??

my dear friendship.


At first I think I have to say that I am new in internet and I have only good intentions. I think my woman should be kind ,it is great feeling after love,only kind person may be happy, all rude people are unhappy. or must be. When I am in rabat I will send you short letter to let you know that I am all right and they tell that it takes about two days to get all message. I looking for woman  good. please to respect all this is love rear and creator beautiful ours life real. you want to be my wife in future.

 

I am 39 years old,my birthday is 20  03 1968.

This is my name is (  bani  bouchta   ).

Birth Date:            (  20/ 03/  1968  ).
Height:                  (  1,77 cm            ).
Weight:                 (  66 kgs              ).
Eyes:                         brown.

Hair:                         brown.

age :                         39 years.
Marital:                     Single.

Smoke:                     no .

drink                         never.         

i love                 (   woman stranger            ).

Occupation:       (   sweets, cooker,baker      ).

I have               (   diploma kichen cooker   ).

 

 

please give me your mobile number. thank you very much. i wish to hear from soon.

good-byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

09:07 PM Feb 14 2008 |

sunnylinda

sunnylinda

China

  

  i  admired to be a DJ. but  i have missed the chance  ..  it is terrible. 

07:10 AM Jan 14 2008 |

夏宝

夏宝

China

Embarassed今日就考试拉,我紧张啊~~~~~

06:17 AM Dec 21 2007 |

bincos

bincos

China

i love music very much…...

may i make friend with you ?

i am looking forward to your reply..

 

08:45 AM Dec 17 2007 |

lovejyc

lovejyc

China

Making time music is a good job. People says, many thing is easier said than done. I admiring the girl that she went to DJ music. A special person must have special thinking.

To DJ, you need turn tables and  busks. Then use your finger and hert to make it. You can get it out there to showing.

07:42 PM Dec 16 2007 |

lovejyc

lovejyc

China

Making time music is a good job. People says, many thing is easier said than done. I admiring the girl that she went to DJ music. A special person must have special thinking.

To DJ, you need turn tables and  busks. Then use your finger and hert to make it. You can get it out there to showing.

07:42 PM Dec 16 2007 |

nryman

Turkey

  EXTENSIVE AND INTENSIVE  LISTENING; I want to become friend  musıc lovers.listening .

03:59 PM Dec 16 2007 |

madrao

India

Great work…!

02:16 PM Dec 16 2007 |

madrao

India

dear sabrina…the lesson listed here was to just familiarize you to the language and the diction…and has used a very contemporary profession  which happens to be the in- thing, dont look at it from the cultural point of view…to which you belong…!

it is something you should practice consciously…dont think in your language…think, dream,and do everything in english…!it will really help.

now let me answer your question about how it is weird being a dj…it's another profession…! just like being a doctor or an engineer and in India we have accomplished doctors who have turned dj's since it gives them immense satisfaction….your earning your money …honestly…! and dj' ing helps keep you young in mind….have a great time…

 

02:15 PM Dec 16 2007 |

dictionary

China

I don’t know how to talk in it

12:44 PM Dec 15 2007 |

Angly

Angly

China

dj is very good .But I listen itfew

12:33 PM Dec 15 2007 |

susanking

susanking

China

when i see the dj spinning music, i really think it is the coolest job in the world!

but i am sure that i don't have the talent to be a dj.

11:42 AM Dec 15 2007 |

abeer.s.

abeer.s.

Saudi Arabia

am ashy girl ,,,its hard for me to be adj even for fun….but its cooool

06:49 AM Dec 15 2007 |

yevison

Dominican Republic

it´s fock good

damn good

jijijiji

03:54 AM Dec 15 2007 |

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